Improvement in mail-bag catchers



JONES.

MAIL-BAG cA'rcHERs." Ng.1l8`0`,595. Patented Aug.1, 1876.

N.PETEYRS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON. |10.

E. WELLINGTON JONES, OF NEWBURG, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HISRIGHT TO WILLIAM B. EDDY, OF SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN MAIL-BAG GATCHERS..

Specification forming part of Letters PatentNo. 180,595, dated August1,1876; application filed June 2, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, E. WELLINGTON JONES,

ofNewburg, in the county of Cass and State` of Michigan, have inventedan Improvement in Mail-Bag Catching Devices, of which the following is aspecification:

The first part of my invention relates to an improvement in devices tobe attached to the side of a railway postal-car, and to be operated fromthe interior thereof, for taking aboard mail-bags at way-stationswithout stopping the train, the mail-bag being placed on a table at theside of the track.

The invention consists in making a section of the side wall of the carto swing out as a deflector to pass over the table and roll the bag intothe car, while a board is projected at the floor-line to pass under thetable, and prevent the bag from falling down between the car and thetable, and inthe devices for operating the moving parts. f

The second part of niy invention relates to a tilting-table located atthe side of the track, and provided with springclips for griping andholding a inail-bag until the deiector has started it rolling toward thecar.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of one end of a niailcar, showing thecatching devices thrown out to pick up a inail-bag lying on the table.Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view, showing the catcher folded in. Fig. 3is a perspective view of the table tilted up, and the clips on its underside. Fig. 4 is a cross-section of table at x x, in Fig. l. Fig. 5 is across-section at y y in Fig. 2, showing the devices folded in. Fig. 6 isa cross-section at z z, in Fig. l.

In the drawing, A represents a portion of the body of a railwaypostal-car, having at one or both ends of each side a section, B, hingedthereto at c: ct, and adapted to be swung out from the side by an arm,C, on a vertical shaft, b, inside the car, which arm is connected withthe swinging end of the section B by a link, D. The arin niay beprovided with a handle, c, or the shaft with a link, so that the sectionB can he operated as described.

The section B is provided with a cover, as shown, and its lower edgedoes not extend to the ltloor of the car, but the opening below it isclosed by a board, B', hinged at a! to the side sill of the car, and onits inner side, near the heel of the section B, there is a stud, d,

vunder the lower edge of said section, which,

pressing upon said stud, swings up the board when the said section isswung in, as seen in Fig. 5, to close the opening. When the section isswung out, the board is thrown out dat, as seen in Fig. 1. E is a table,hinged at one end to a standard, e, Vat the side of the track, so thatit can be tilted up out of the way, as seen iu Fig. 3, but when loweredto a hori zontal position, as seen in Figs. l and 5, the section B willpass over it and the board B under its outer edge. The mail-bag is heldthereon by the upturned heads of two clipbars, f j', sliding in guidesunderneath, the heads playing in slots in the table. They are shotforward by a leaf-spring, g, acting on each, while they are retracted bya lever, h, pivoted under each end of the table, and engaging its shortarm with a notch in the side of each bar.

rlhe upper surface of thetahle is hollowed out around the slots, so thatwhen the clipheads are drawn back a portion of the lower part of the bagwill drop down, and, as the clip-levers are released, the clips willclamp the pendent portion lof the bag with sufficient force to preventit from being knocked off the table when struck by the section B, whichwill roll it over the board B into the car.

What 1 claini as my invention is- 1. The swinging section B and boardB', hinged at the opening in the side of a mailcar, and in combinationtherewith the arm C, link D, and stud d, for operating them,substantially as described.

Y 2. The combination of the table E, mounted at one side of therail-track on about the level of the door of a car, and spring-clips fj"for holding a inail-bag in position to be taken aboard a passing car hya deflector, substantially as described and shown.

E. WELLINGTON JONES.

Witnesses:

A. O. RoUsE, A. L. Tnonr.

